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Fabaceae
Pink Wild Indigo
Baptisia australis var. aberrans
Deep roots and quiet transformation.
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Baptisia
- Native to
- central United States
- Bloom season
- Late Spring, Early Summer
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 60–120 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, average to poor
- Water
- low; drought-tolerant once established
- Hardiness
- 4–8
- Lifespan
- perennial; extremely long-lived
Did you know
- Baptisia plants develop enormous root systems and can live for over 50 years once established in a garden.
- The name 'Baptisia' comes from the Greek 'bapto' meaning to dye — the foliage produces a blue dye used as a poor man's indigo.
- The inflated black seed pods rattle in the wind, giving the plant the folk name 'rattleweed'.
- It fixes nitrogen through root nodules, improving soil fertility for neighboring plants.
- It takes three to four years for a transplanted Baptisia to reach full size, testing gardeners' patience.
Color meanings
Pink
unexpected beauty
Lavender
patient wisdom